The present invention relates to rehabilitation of injuries, and particularly to a novel therapeutic appliance or device for wearing by an individual to promote healing of an injured foot, ankle or lower leg area. The therapeutic device of the present invention may be comfortably worn as a shoe or boot, and provides recurrent compression or "massaging" of the injured area by variable fluid or air pressure.
Injuries to the foot, ankle and lower leg are very common, and can result from industrial accidents, day-to-day activities and are increasingly prevalent because of widespread participation in athletics. Typical injuries to the lower leg include contusions which may vary from a mild bruise to serious injuries. Rupture of the gastrocnemius muscle or "tennis leg" is a condition resulting from a tear of the junction of one of the heads of the gastrocnemius muscle. Treatment generally constitutes applying a cold, wet elastic bandage for compression. Ice is then applied on top of one or two layers of this bandage and held firmly in place with further wraps, the leg being elevated and the foot held in generally plantar flexion. The individual should then walk only in a non-weight-bearing manner with crutches.
Injuries to the ankle are very common, and generally include sprains, although fractures may sometimes occur. The bulk of all ankle sprains are inversion injuries, occurring, in athletics, when an athlete runs straight ahead or cuts and the foot suddenly turns into plantar flexion and inversion. Sharp pain results from the ligaments being sprained and is accompanied by swelling and lack of flexibility. Concerning treatment, general guidelines include having the individual placed in a non-weight-bearing position and application of a cold wrap to support the ankle, after which an ice bag is placed on the bandage to give compression with wrapping being continued. If the injury appears to be relatively severe, the leg should be elevated and x-rays taken to determine if fracture has occurred. If there is no fracture, then the rehabilitation process generally involves a program over several days involving ice, compression through bandages, and elevation, followed eventually by use of crutches so that weight-bearing can be increased gradually. Ice and ice massage may be applied to the injured area frequently prior to the individual walking with crutches.
With respect to foot injuries, sprains and fractures may also occur in that area. Treatment of sprains in the foot is similar to that for ankles, and in the case of fractures to the ankle or foot, a cast must be worn and after healing of the fracture, swelling, stiffness and pain may still result. Other injuries to the lower leg/foot area may include sprains and ruptures to the achilles tendon.
In any case, it is the rehabilitation of a sprained ankle or foot, or damage to a torn gastrocnemius muscle, resulting in swelling, which the present invention is particularly noteworthy in treating. The present invention involves a therapeutic device for facilitating rehabilitation of lower leg, ankle and foot injuries, including the sprains and tears as outlined above, and is also used as a post-operative device, i.e., after surgery or after a cast has been removed to reduce swelling and diminish pain.
The healing process is greatly facilitated if the injured area can be massaged or compressed, i.e., if the venous blood flow to the traumatized area can be promoted. Venous blood flow helps the healing process by taking away waste products and bringing in nutrients which supply the cells. Whirlpools are not as efficient as direct massaging or compression, and the present invention provides this action.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a simple therapeutic appliance or device, which can be worn by an individual to facilitate healing of a sprain, or to provide post-operative rehabilitation of an injured or traumatized foot, ankle or lower leg, by promoting venous blood flow in the injured area. The therapeutic device includes a flexible and inflatable first pressurized means, formed as a fluid-receiving first chamber dimensioned to surround substantially the injured area for imparting fluid pressure to that area. The therapeutic device also incorporates a weight-responsive means coactable with the first pressurized means for providing recurrent compression to the injured area by varying the fluid pressure imparted by the first chamber.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a therapeutic device, as described above, in which the weight-responsive means is defined by a fluid-receiving second chamber communicating fluidwise with the first chamber. The second chamber is resiliently deformable to displace fluid alternately into and from the first chamber by a motive force generated when the individual walks.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a therapeutic device, as described above, in which the second chamber is secured to the first chamber and is positionable therebeneath and in contact with the bottom of an individual's foot. Thus, when the individual walks, his/her weight will compress the second chamber to displace fluid therefrom into the first chamber, thereby to increase the pressure within the first chamber and on the injured area. When the individual lifts his/her foot, i.e., adopts a non-weight-bearing stance, the second chamber expands to draw fluid from the first chamber, thereby to decrease the pressure within the first chamber and correspondingly on the injured area. The net effect, during walking by an individual, is recurrent compression to the injured area which promotes venous blood flow in that area, and consequently promotes healing.
These and additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood after a consideration of the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.